Hello, Wonderful Milky Way Families!
What a wonderful week we have had in Milky Way! Even though the rain visited us quite often this week, our classroom continued to be filled with bright smiles, joyful learning, curiosity, and lots of teamwork.
We began our week with a special birthday celebration hosted by our lovely Rainbow teachers. The children had so much fun “baking” a delicious cake together! As each ingredient was added, we all joined in with actions and said, “Mix, mix, mix!” together. We continued adding the ingredients one by one until everything was mixed and our yummy cake was ready! Of course, the ingredients were picture cards and the cake was a toy cake, but the children used their wonderful imaginations to turn the music room into a little bakery. We also enjoyed an exciting guessing game that really put the children’s observation and concentration skills to the test! Two teachers each had a box, and one teacher quickly picked up an item and tossed it into the other teacher’s box. The children had to watch carefully and focus their eyes on the item as it moved quickly from one box to the other. They then tried to guess what the item was, such as tissue paper, a peach, or a carrot. The children were excited to see how quickly they could recognize each item and enjoyed cheering and sharing their guesses with their friends. Through these playful experiences, the children practiced listening carefully, observing closely, communicating their ideas, and participating together as a caring community.
Phonics: Discovering the /ch/ Sound
During Phonics, we explored what happens when the letters c and h work together. The children discovered that c + h makes the /ch/ sound! We watched a fun phonics video and practiced reading words together, listening carefully to the sounds. The children then applied their learning by completing a ch digraph worksheet, writing words with ch at the beginning and at the end in the correct columns. As the teacher checked their work, the students took turns reading the words aloud, one at a time. It was wonderful to see them developing their confidence and making connections between the letters they see and the sounds they hear.
Reading: “Chase and Chet”
We continued our exploration of the /ch/ consonant digraph through the book “Chase and Chet.” First, the teacher read the story together with the students, and we stopped along the way to discover some new vocabulary. Instead of simply giving the children definitions, we talked about the words and explained their meanings in ways that we could understand and connect to. The children then had opportunities to read the book individually and later read it together with a friend. Reading with a partner encouraged them to listen, communicate, support one another, and build confidence. We were excited to see the children using their phonics knowledge to help them decode new words!
UOI: From Ideas to Action!
Our UOI learning continued to connect closely with our upcoming Sports Festival. The students completed a worksheet exploring different ways they can achieve the goals of their assigned roles, including exercise dance leaders, player oath leaders, bean bag counters, gauze dance performers, program announcers, relay and race runners, and game helpers. What made this learning especially meaningful was that the children did not simply write their ideas on paper—they remembered them and put them into action! During our rehearsal in the gym, they tried their very best to actually do what they had written on their worksheets. They practiced their movements, remembered their responsibilities, followed instructions, and supported their friends. This was a wonderful example of learning leading to action, an important part of the PYP. The children are beginning to understand that when we have a common goal, everyone has an important role to play. Through this experience, they demonstrated our focus on being Communicators, Open-minded, and Reflective learners. They communicated with their teammates, listened to different ideas, reflected on how they could improve, and took responsibility for their own roles.
When Plans Change…
We were also looking forward to our rice harvesting experience this week. Unfortunately, due to the rainy weather, the activity had to be cancelled. Although we were disappointed, we had an opportunity to practice being open-minded and flexible when things do not go according to plan.
Instead, we used the time to prepare for our upcoming Sports Festival. The children went through the program from beginning to end, practicing each activity in sequence. They listened carefully to the instructions, followed the order of the events, practiced their movements and actions, and learned when it was their turn to participate. It was a wonderful opportunity for them to build confidence, practice cooperation, and understand how everyone’s participation helps the whole team work together smoothly.
A Little Sunshine and Outdoor Fun!
After several rainy days, we were lucky enough to have a beautiful afternoon without rain, giving us the perfect opportunity to enjoy some time in the school yard! The children were so excited to get outside. They ran, explored, played games, and enjoyed spending time with their friends. Their laughter filled the playground as they made the most of the sunshine.
Outdoor play also became another opportunity for learning. The children practiced taking turns, communicating, cooperating, solving small problems, and caring for their friends. They learned that teamwork does not only happen during our Sports Festival practice, it happens whenever we play, learn, and interact with others. It was lovely to see them naturally enjoying the simple joy of being together.
Looking Ahead: Our Final Sports Festival Week!
Can you believe that next week will be our last week of Sports Festival practice? The excitement is growing! We will have one big rehearsal in the gym, where the children will have the opportunity to bring all their practice together and experience their different roles as one team. We will also visit the vineyard once again for grape picking! The children are sure to have another wonderful hands-on learning experience as they observe, explore, and enjoy the harvest.
And then comes the big day… Sports Festival Day! We cannot wait to see our Milky Way children put their learning into action, take responsibility for their roles, encourage their friends, and celebrate what they can accomplish together.
As we approach this special day, we are reminded that the Sports Festival is not only about running, dancing, or playing games. It is about teamwork, responsibility, communication, perseverance, and working together toward a common goal. We are so proud of how much our children have grown throughout this journey.
Please take some time to listen to the attached songs with your children at home. These are the songs we have been happily singing together in class for the past couple of months, and the children are very familiar with them.
It would be wonderful if you could watch and sing along with your child, too! This is a lovely opportunity for them to share what they have been learning and enjoying at school with their families. Since we will be changing to a new set of songs for our next unit, this is a special chance to enjoy these familiar favorites together one more time.
Thank you, dear families, for your continued support. We are excited to finish this journey together and create more wonderful memories with our Milky Way children. Until then, let’s keep learning, keep supporting one another, and keep shining, rain or shine!
Have a beautiful and restful weekend, everyone!
